Communication for Families

Teach your kids the art & Science of peaceful problem solving.

 
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Peaceful problem solving is the name of the game. Stronger relationships are the goal. Customized for your family’s unique needs, our six-week parent course shares practices and tools to help you decode behavior, strengthen relationships and transform conflicts into connection. You are the coach, your family is the team, and this course is a playbook. The best part? You get to learn the communication and social emotional skills that we weren’t taught in school.

“I wish I had known this decades ago.
I would have been a different spouse, parent, and educator! I used to think it was too late for me to learn skills in social emotional development, but now I think I can change at any age. THANK YOU!”
“I used to think these techniques were just for my students, but now I know they are beneficial to all of my relationships. ”

Why should we as parents and educators in the 21st Century care about our own Social Emotional Learning (SEL)? Because raising mentally fit, emotionally intelligent, creative problems solvers capable of deep collaboration starts with developing our own embodied SEL skills to model for our kids. Watch this 3-minute video to learn more.

“This workshop reminded me to breathe, pause, and find that space to create a more thoughtful response to a situation. I loved the FAB word bank and cards - the multiple choice approach to communicating about feelings.”
 

The tool for Peaceful problem solving

We choose to use tools to help us speak skillfully and hear empathically. When we communicate in this way, our nervous systems are affected positively and we relate to each other safely. Together, we are empowered to solve problems peacefully.

The SHARE storytelling routine is an accessible restorative practice for the whole family. Make a SHARE binder to organize the word banks of feelings and needs and a story framework for easy access to the multisensory tools of restorative practices.

Download the SHARE binder printables here and watch this SHARE binder instructional video.

 

Time out

Pause to calm your nervous system in a quiet place. Speak your feelings and needs in affective statements using visual word banks. Affective statements increase self-awareness, emotional regulation and empathy for self and other.

team up

Use a simple framework to organize your story and set an intention to hear each other. Shared storytelling affects our nervous systems and synchronizes brain activity. Listening with curiosity and retelling someone’s story grows understanding, perspective and trust.

take 2

Make a positive action request that considers everyone’s needs. Using kind, calm communication to relate safely helps us find win-win solutions. These steps of peaceful problem solving are leadership skills that empower us to grow and restore relationships.

SHARE synthesizes professional experience and training in Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Restorative Practices, Nonviolent Communication, mindfulness, linguistics, literacy, leadership, special education and human development with perspectives from neuroscience, psychology, anthropology and the social sciences. SHARE is paired with the Mindful Schools curriculum to also teach students how to pay attention, on purpose, to the present moment with kindness.

 
 
 

SEL Video Resources

 

Why should we as parents and educators in the 21st Century care about Social Emotional Learning (SEL)?

Teaching our children how to peacefully solve problems starts with our own SEL.

Calming Your Angry Brain. The inspiration for "Just Breathe" first came about a little over a year ago when I overheard my then 5-year-old son talking with his friend about how emotions affect different regions of the brain, and how to calm down by taking deep breaths - all things they were beginning to learn in Kindergarten at their new school, Citizens of the World Charter School, in Mar Vista, CA.

We often personalize misbehavior, which then leads to an escalation of an already unpleasant situation. This story about a mother and her 12 year-old son highlights how the tools of restorative practice can transform an upsetting event into a powerful opportunity for understanding and connection.

Beginning a difficult conversation with a child or another adult requires us to be fully present with our mind, body and intention to connect. Learn how to shift into connection mode using 3 conscious breaths.

Peace Corner. Students practice self-regulation and manage their stress and frustration in a de-escalation space in each classroom. Self-regulation requires time and space. When strong emotions get activated, pausing to settle our nervous systems and gather our thoughts is the first step to peaceful problem solving. House the SHARE binder in your family or classroom Peace Corner for easy access.

Why Do We Lose Control of Our Emotions? Simple, easy-to-understand whiteboard animation helps kids and adults gain an understanding of the way our brains work to recognize and manage emotions. This is intended as a beginning resource to help children, parents, educators and those who work with children to encourage mindfulness, empathy, and emotional regulation.

Storytelling. We explore the science of storytelling and the power of stories to shape our minds - how stories make us human, why stories matter, and why stories are important in our lives. Books are incredibly powerful. We look at what happens inside the brain when you read.

Childhood Trauma. In this 60 Minutes, Oprah Winfrey reports on the science of trauma-informed care and the lifetime effects of childhood trauma on brain development and behavior. By learning the importance of asking What happened to you? versus What’s wrong with you?, Oprah shares that "This story has had more impact on me than practically anything I've ever done,"